this post was submitted on 09 May 2024
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The first invasive brain chip that Neuralink embedded into a human brain has malfunctioned, with neuron-surveilling threads appearing to have become dislodged from the participant's brain, the company revealed in a blog post Wednesday.

It's unclear what caused the threads to become "retracted" from the brain, how many have retracted, or if the displaced threads pose a safety risk. Neuralink, the brain-computer interface startup run by controversial billionaire Elon Musk, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Ars. The company said in its blog post that the problem began in late February, but it has since been able to compensate for the lost data to some extent by modifying its algorithm.

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[–] ivanafterall@kbin.social 95 points 6 months ago (4 children)

The company said in its blog post that the problem began in late February, but it has since been able to compensate for the lost data to some extent by modifying its algorithm.

Because that's what people are worried about: THE LOST DATA.

[–] Maeve@kbin.social 26 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Can you imagine the marketing value?

[–] credo@lemmy.world 20 points 6 months ago (2 children)

The blog is obviously targeted towards advertisers. The future looks amazing and full of possibilities. Just think about how your 8 hours of sleep alone could be turned into product placement opportunities for nestle.

[–] 7U5K3N@lemmy.dbzer0.com 9 points 6 months ago

Futurama tried to warn us.

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[–] mhague@lemmy.world 20 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

When a computer reads some signal, the 0s and 1s in it's memory is the data. The data must be processed so that the computer can understand it.

This computer is using threads to read neuron activity. It must necessarily receive data because if it didn't it wouldn't be reading neuron activity. They're the same thing.

This data is processed so that the computer can make sense of the brain. Once it understands some activity it generates signals that can control external devices.

Here's an example. Imagine a device that monitors the heart and does something to fix a problem. The device would get data on the heart and process the data so that it can perform it's function.

Wouldn't monitoring health concerns and mitigating data loss be extremely important in these scenarios?

[–] Maven@lemmy.sdf.org 26 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

The point is that this is the opening paragraph about something going wrong in human brain surgery, and the first thing they tell us is "don't worry, the data's fine", rather than anything about the human. Indeed, you have to read to the last paragraph to find:

Arbaugh's safety does not appear to be negatively impacted.

[–] ech@lemm.ee 12 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

and the first thing they tell us is “don’t worry, the data’s fine”, rather than anything about the human.

I do agree it would have been significantly more considerate to mention that the person is ok first, but I feel like you're confusing data storage (ie something they're collecting) with data processing (ie how the device operates). The data in question is the latter. In other words, they are explaining that the problems are being accounted for so that the device can still function in the human it's attached to.

[–] Maven@lemmy.sdf.org 6 points 6 months ago

No, I understood that, I did read the article. I'm lambasting the fact that in an article about "brain chip gone wrong", burying the "but human seems to be unharmed" at the end of an article is indicative of a set of priorities wildly different from my own.

[–] blazeknave@lemmy.world 8 points 6 months ago

TY! My first thought was he was this poor sweet guy who just wanted to play Civ and fell for this grifter

[–] Raxiel@lemmy.world 78 points 6 months ago

Have they tried firing most of the neurons, keeping only the most hardcore?

[–] Grass@sh.itjust.works 51 points 6 months ago (2 children)

I can't believe anyone willingly got this after the monkey testing thing. They have to be taking advantage of people not fit to make decisions for themselves.

[–] CaptDust@sh.itjust.works 73 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (15 children)

The patient became quadriplegia in a car accident, I wouldn't call it unfit for decisions but definitely someone desperate to find a sense of normalcy.

[–] JJROKCZ@lemmy.world 31 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (6 children)

Guy has nothing left to lose really, I don’t blame him for taking this risk considering I would strongly consider it myself were I in his situation

[–] slaacaa@lemmy.world 9 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago) (1 children)

Yes, unfortunately this is the case. In an article I read the guy was able to pay chess and Age of Empires with his thoughts and the chip, quite impressive tech indeed, it’s just that you absolutely cannot trust anything near Musk

[–] curiousPJ@lemmy.world 4 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

OCZ back in the day (2008) had a brainwave game controller... didn't need surgery for that.

https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16826100006

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[–] Grass@sh.itjust.works 11 points 6 months ago

Not many options I guess. Sucks to have to gamble on the crazy billionaire with a lot of faulty shit.

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[–] MeanEYE@lemmy.world 6 points 6 months ago

I can believe people took up on this offer. As the saying goes drowning man will reach for straws. Issue is they probably oversold reliability and safety.

[–] venoft@lemmy.world 46 points 6 months ago (7 children)

I don't know which company I would trust developing my brain implant, but it sure as hell isn't Tesla. Their software and hardware history is less than stellar.

[–] tektite@slrpnk.net 14 points 6 months ago (1 children)

It's ok, there's still other companies to choose from. Twitter can develop your brain implant instead!

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[–] 65gmexl3@lemmy.world 3 points 6 months ago

I mean it's too early to trust anyone with this new technology

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[–] Apytele@sh.itjust.works 39 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Oh god I was worried they killed him horribly this is actually probably fine and almost an expected setback.

[–] Trigger2_2000@sh.itjust.works 32 points 6 months ago (1 children)

What are we going to do tomorrow night Brain?

[–] popekingjoe@lemmy.world 26 points 6 months ago

The same thing we do every night Pinky.

TRY TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD

[–] Thrashy@lemmy.world 23 points 6 months ago

Well, that'll happen if you don't take your Neuropozyne. Their test subject should have budgeted for that before getting augmented.

[–] TomMasz@lemmy.world 20 points 6 months ago

No one could have predicted this totally predictable situation.

[–] Apeman42@lemmy.world 20 points 6 months ago
[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 16 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Honestly surprised he didn't just run into a wall

[–] Maeve@kbin.social 6 points 6 months ago

"Despite all my rage, I am still just a rat in a cage..."

[–] Thann@lemmy.ml 10 points 6 months ago

If only someone could have predicted

[–] TacticsConsort@yiffit.net 8 points 6 months ago

Well... that's probably the most expected thing to ever be expected. It was never a matter of 'if', it was a matter of when.

[–] over_clox@lemmy.world 6 points 6 months ago

Just another rapid disassembly, nothing to see here..

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